Goodell: Draft will begin with moment of silence

Apr. 24, 2013
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Running shoes hang from a barrier at a makeshift memorial in Copley Square in Boston, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Businesses opened and traffic was allowed to flow all the way down Boylston Street on Wednesday morning for the first time since two explosions at the Boston Marathon on April 15. / Michael Dwyer, AP

by Jim Corbett, USA TODAY Sports

by Jim Corbett, USA TODAY Sports

Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday that Thursday night's draft at Radio City Music Hall will begin with a moment of silence.

Goodell said escalated security measures will be in place in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and injured more than 200.

"We will have a moment of reflection for both the victims in Boston and in Texas,'' Goodell said during his post-clinic news briefing, also referencing the 15 dead in the West, Texas, fertilizer plant explosion.

No backpacks will be allowed inside Radio City Music Hall, and fans are encouraged to arrive early to go through intensified security checks.

"We always re-evaluate our security measures for any event we have, and this is no different," Goodell said. "We worked with the local officials to make some changes to our security program. Ensuring all of our events is a very important priority for us.''

Former Central Michigan left tackle Eric Fisher doesn't know any of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings, but he said his thoughts are with the victims.

"My heart goes out to everyone involved in the Boston bombings. That's just terrible,'' Fisher said. "We're a country that takes pride in keeping everybody safe.

"Security here will be fine. I haven't even thought about it. I'm just looking forward to really making my NFL dream come true.''

Goodell said he has spoken with new Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam "several times,'' after an FBI investigation into allegations of widespread rebate fraud by the Haslam family-owned Flying J truck stop chain.

"He's doing everything he's asked and cooperating," Goodell said. "He wants to make sure that he's doing all the right things in that regard, and he's assured us he's going to.''